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Pollution Emergency Alerting System (PEAS) Information

Including releases to AIR, LAND, WATER, or threats to WETLANDS, DAMS, PUBLIC DRINKING WATER SUPPLIES, NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS, etc.

If your matter is not an emergency but you just have a question about MDEQ programs, regulations, etc. please call our Environmental Assistance Center at 800-662-9278.

The Pollution Emergency Alerting System (PEAS) serves to receive information about environmental incidents into the DEQ, via the hotline number above, and through other channels. PEAS then distributes that information to appropriate staff internally, as well as to contacts in partner agencies, such as Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), Michigan State Police (MSP), Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), etc.

PEAS has been in operation since 1975. The PEAS hotline should be used to report environmental pollution emergencies such as tanker accidents, pipeline breaks, and other releases of hazardous materials to land, water, or air. Some other types of environmental emergencies for which the DEQ also has jurisdiction and appreciates notifications about via PEAS, include: wetland filling or dredging, incidents involving compromised integrity of dams, and incidents involving public drinking water supplies, nuclear power plants, mines and oil & gas wells.

The nature of subsequent DEQ district staff response is generally to provide technical advice to first responders and responsible parties on actions they can take to minimize environmental damage.

For questions or comments on the workings of the system itself, including any problems with the phone connections, database, customer service, etc., please contact the PEAS Administrator, Bruce VanOtteren, at 517-284-6232.

Note that due to the development of a new PEAS database, information on PEAS reports made after February 2010 is not available online, but the information is collected and available by FOIA request.